Toyota looks to be working on a electric FJ replacement

Thursday, 16 June 2022

Toyota Design Senior General Manager Simon Humphries on the company's new range of battery electric vehicles.

Toyota has offered more of a look at its Compact Cruiser EV concept, after winning the Car Design Award for Concept Vehicles.

We first saw the vehicle last year when Toyota showed off an armada of EVs in a demonstration of its electric intent. It uses an electric version of the TNGA architecture, presumably the same as found in the bZ4x SUV, and will offer an alternative to the likes of the Jeep Compass if Toyota puts it into production.

Toyota’s designers took inspiration from the first-generation of Land Cruiser as well as obvious cues from the FJ Cruiser.

This is just a clay model, but there’s a decent chance it will make it to production as a Jeep Compass fighter.

The headlights bear a resemblance to the J80 Land Cruiser, while the bright colours, prominent bashplate and boxy proportions call back to the FJ Cruiser and other parts of Toyota’s off-roading heritage. It’s just missing the contrasting roof.

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The Compact Cruiser EV rides on the same platform as the bZ4x SUV, already confirmed for NZ.

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Our research into electric vehicles has been ongoing for more than 30 years, and we’ve come a long way,” said Toyota Design senior general manager Simon Humphries.

“After an initial phase of contact with electric vehicles, people will want zero-emission cars that speak about them and express their lifestyle … the Compact Cruiser EV is a perfect example of that trend.”

While it seems likely Toyota will produce the Compact Cruiser EV, it hasn’t been explicitly confirmed yet. However, considering it featured quite prominently in the EV showcase last year, and it’s just won an award for design, there’s a good chance we’ll see it in showrooms eventually.

Other upcoming EVs from Toyota include an electric ute, following a hybrid version that could land as early as this year. Rumour has it the Hilux and US-market Tacoma will return to a shared platform, which the EV will ride on, probably making it a larger ute than the current Hilux.

The other concepts shown last year included sedans, SUVs and a Lexus LFA-inspired supercar. That was further teased earlier this year, and will be shown off at the Goodwood Festival of Speed later in June.